Mercy On My Heart
by greaserslady
Summary: A series of 10k/OC (reader insert-ish) oneshots centering around our favorite sharpshooter. Rated T for now but will probably go up eventually.
1. Chapter 1

It had been a few weeks since you joined the group in their quest to California. They'd stumbled upon you holed up in a library and you were more than willing to share your ample supply of food and water with them after hearing about their mission. What was supposed to be their one night of rest in the library ended up becoming the night your safe place was invaded by a group of bounty hunters. Word somehow made it out that Murphy was spotted in the area and that's all it took for the quiet town to become shootout central.

You'd never been much of a fighter. Before the apocalypse you'd worked in that very library, content to be surrounded by books all day. So when the bullets started flying you ducked and allowed the group to hurry you out to their truck. You managed to grab the emergency bag you always kept packed on the way out but had to leave the rest of your supplies to the scavengers.

Now you settled yourself down on the ground, back against the truck tire and lean legs crossed in front of you. 10k was sitting in the bed of the truck on watch as the rest of the group laid around the small fire to try to get some sleep. You opened up the worn copy of _The Hobbit_ that was stashed in your bag, turned to the page you'd left off on the previous night, and began to softly read aloud.

The nightly routine had started after a conversation with 10k about each of your hobbies. When he told you that he never cared for reading you promised him that you'd get him excited about books eventually. After he made it clear that he wasn't going to simply pick up one of your few books on his own, you started reading to him. _The Hobbit_ seemed like as good of a choice as any and he hadn't complained once yet.

Another week passed and _The Hobbit_ was finished. 10k said he enjoyed listening to it, but you were disappointed that he didn't seem more enthusiastic. Perhaps this was going to be a bigger challenge than you thought. The group was raiding a supermarket for supplies and you were all surprised with how much there was left of the shelves. Almost the entire bed of the truck was filled by the time you were finished loading it and you and 10k squeezed into the small spot that was left for sitting as Warren pulled out of the parking lot.

"Hey," 10k said, getting your attention. You turned to look at him and was surprised to see him holding a copy of _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone._ "Could we read this one next?" he asked, a shy smile on his face.

You grinned and snatched the book out of his hand. With a gesture you had him moving around until you were both situated comfortably; your back against his chest and both of your legs sprawled out in front of you. You turned to the first page and began to read. _"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."_

Through the open window of the truck, the rest of the group listened peacefully as you read. In the back, 10k rested his head on top of yours, eyes scanning the horizon occasionally before falling back to the book in your hands.

* * *

 **A/N: If there's interest in this perhaps I'll extend it into a proper fic. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

It was hot. And muggy. And you were not happy.

"Can we take a break?" you groaned, stopping under the awning of an abandoned shoe store. The town you were passing through was deserted of both humans and zombies, thankfully. Unfortunately, it also seemed to be deserted of supplies or a running vehicle. Each store that the group had checked turned up with almost nothing valuable.

Warren turned around and looked at the sweating, panting group clambering for a spot of shade to rest under. With a nod she relented. "Let's take ten then check out these stores."

You immediately sank down to the sidewalk, sighing as the cool concrete met your bare arms. As you glanced at the tanned skin an idea popped into your mind. You sat up and took the small knife out of your pocket, then started slicing at the material of your jeans near your upper thighs.

10k, who'd naturally settled near you, glanced over from where he was checking his supply of bullets. "What are you doing?"

"It's too hot for pants. I'm making shorts," you answered simply, sawing your knife back and forth to get through the tough denim.

"You're leaving your legs exposed," he pointed out, trying to be helpful.

"10k, if I don't get these damn jeans off I'm going to shoot myself, bitten or not." The young sniper's eyes widened at your outburst. With a frustrated sigh, you stood up and turned so your butt was practically in his face. "Please cut the backs for me?"

"Oh, um, sure," 10k stuttered, then unsheathed his knife and cut the remaining material in two precise swipes.

You sighed in pleasure at your legs meeting the open air. "That's so much better."

Addy whistled at you. "Pretty nice legs for a librarian," she said with a smirk.

You popped your hip out and tossed your hair over your shoulder. "Librarian by day, dancer by night," you said with a smirk.

"Seriously?" Doc sputtered, all of a sudden very interested in this conversation. Vasquez and Murphy perked up from where they sat as well, eyeing you in a different light.

"Like ballet?" 10k asked, oblivious as to why everyone was staring at you. You playfully rolled your eyes and turned to face the slightly younger man.

"C'mon, 10k. Let's go check out a couple of these stores and I'll tell you all about it," you said with a smile, holding out your hand for him to grab. You tugged him to his feet and pulled him along behind you into the shoe store, fully aware that his eyes drifted to your bare legs.

"That kid's in over his head," Vasquez commented, to which the group nodded before fanning out to search the rest of the stores.


End file.
